


Honorable Betrayal

by roguetimebot



Category: Nikita (TV 2010)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, F/M, Season 1 Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 20:19:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7478535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguetimebot/pseuds/roguetimebot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Was it worth it?</p>
<p>After a heated confrontation with Michael, Birkhoff is summoned by Amanda to learn the truth about Alexandra Udinov.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honorable Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> This is up on my FF account, and I didn't really intend on posting it here. I wrote it years ago, and it definitely shows. The dialogue is clunky, the fandom is basically dead, this ship is tiny, and it's kind of ridiculous to hope that you distinctly remember these scenes for the S1 finale.
> 
> However, I've been dreadfully missing Balex recently, and learned that there are like four Balex fics on this entire site. So here it is. I've kind of been missing Nikita in general, and Balex was my first OTP, if the kids are still using that word. (Apparently, the actors for Alex and Ryan are engaged? Whoa!!)
> 
> If you watch Balex videos on YouTube at all, this is a familiar concept, so no points for creativity on my part.

Alex made sure the scowl on her face remained there through all of Amanda's gloating and icy glares. Yes, she was Alexandra Udinov. Yes, she was Nikita's partner. Yes, she had been exposed. But her careful scowl made sure that Amanda knew how small of a matter it was. Yeah, I'm Alexandra. What's it to you? Yeah, I'm Nikita's partner. She makes good veggie shakes. So? Unshakable confidence in the face of death. Letting these people know they hadn't gotten to her. That seemed her plan.

But Amanda, the psychologist of doom, wouldn't have that. Staring Alex down, strapped to the electric chair, she wanted to see her squirm. She didn't just want the satisfaction of finding her out; she wanted the satisfaction of knowing she cared about it.

And she knew just how to push her buttons.

She'd made the call about five minutes ago, and right on schedule, Birkhoff sauntered into the office.

"What's the deal?" he asked wearily, as if he'd just had a very taxing conversation.

"Birkhoff," Amanda grinned, deceptively charming. "You know Alex, don't you?"

Birkhoff gave her a look. Of course he did.

"Or should I say," she continued, letting her words drip off her tongue slowly, wanting the reaction from Birkhoff that she hadn't gotten from Percy when she told him, "Alexandra Udinov."

Birkhoff knew about Alexandra Udinov. The heir to a Russian Empire assassinated by Division year ago.

"There's a fly in the logic there, Mandy," Birkhoff pointed out.

"You would think," Amanda said patiently, accustomed to Birkhoff's way with words. "Divison sent a strike team to the Udinov household years back with orders to kill the entire Udinov family. You remember Nikita, don't you?" She didn't pause for an answer. She knew he did. "Nikita was on the strike team. She swept little Alex from the inferno and carried her to safety."

Alex scoffed. Sex trafficker possession wasn't really her idea of safety.

"Since Alex has been with us," Amanda continued, "she has been working as Nikita's aid, her eyes on the inside. A spy, if you'll ignore the irony in that."

Birkhoff seemed agitated. "Her, too?"

"Too?" Alex echoed.

"Are you and Michael a dream team now? The forces for good? Do you two and Niki have your own comic strip?"

The corners of Amanda's lips quirked. "Why don't I leave you two alone for a moment?" She placed the remote controlling the electric chair on the desk, making sure Birkhoff saw her do it, and then slinked out of the room.

Once she was gone, Birkhoff and Alex met gazes, warring emotions present in the both of them.

"Unbelievable," Birkhoff spat.

Alex rolled her eyes, in no mood to be lectured right now.

"It's insane," he threw his hands in the air. "Honestly, is there no one I can trust anymore?"

"Well, when you keep the company of Amanda and Percy . . ." Alex trailed off with a shrug.

"This isn't funny, Alex," Birkhoff bellowed. "I just got done screaming at Michael for being an idiot and helping Niki in her insane war, and then I found out you've been part of it this whole time. Am I the only sane one around here?"

"Not by a long shot," Alex droned, unfazed by his escalating volume.

Birkhoff shook his head at her. "Here I thought that we tolerated each other. Which may not sound like much, but with my social skills, _it's a lot._ And Mikey? I was full-blown friends with him before this fiasco. Now what am I supposed to think?"

"Oh, Birkhoff," Alex smirked. "You mean that? You _really_ tolerated with me?"

"Makes sense that your funny, smart-mouthed side comes out when I'm mad at you."

"Without good reason," Alex added.

Birkhoff scoffed. "I've got _plenty_ of reason."

Alex shrugged doubtfully. "Hey, think what you want, man. But can you honestly tell me that the work Division has you doing—has all of us doing—is honorable?"

"That's not the point!" Birkhoff exclaimed.

"Then what is?" Alex prompted.

"Going against them turns you into a corpse," he explained rather loudly.

"So you're mad at Michael and me because you're worried about our well-being?" Alex deduced. "That's sweet of you, but I could get the message without all of your yelling."

"No, the point is I thought I could trust you! Both of you!" he yelled.

"Whoops. We did the right thing behind your back. My apologies."

Birkhoff ignored the quip. "And apparently, betrayal is something you do pretty regularly. As I recall, you _shot_ Nikita."

Alex's jaw tightened at the memory. Clearly, Birkhoff didn't know it was a hoax yet.

"If you're here because of moral issues, you might want to take a look at yourself."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Birkhoff prompted.

Alex shifted in her chair uncomfortably, her wrists braced in metal. "You sit behind that computer of yours and bark information at Percy that guides him on who, what, and when to kill."

"That's kind of the point of this place, honey."

"Oh, gee, I wonder why I'm not a part of them," she jeered.

"Look, Alex, this isn't about me right now."

"Did I hit a nerve?" she continued. "Sorry. I guess all this killing-people has set up some land mines in your conscience."

"Shut up, Alex," he snapped.

"Don't come in here and act all high-and-mighty over me when, taking stabs at my morality. It's kind of hypocritical. This place would be half as effective without you pulling its strings, and you just sit around and take orders. The recruits might pull the trigger, but you are the bullets in our guns!"

"I said _shut up_!" he shouted fiercely, grabbing at the remote to the electric chair without really thinking about it.

Alex didn't even flinch at the gesture. She made sure she had Birkhoff's eye contact when she spoke again.

"Go ahead," she urged, her voice high, whispering, light as a breeze, but poignant. "What's one more dead body, right?"

Birkhoff gave her a cold, furious look. She has nothing over him. He has all the power.

So why does he feel like she won?

Her threw the remote back onto the desk, where it banged and clattered to the floor. He ignored it, storming out the door without so much as a glance back at Alex.

He stormed right to his computer desk. Alex's chair wasn't electrically linked to anything connected to the computer system.

But Michael's restraints were.

He released Michael, not entirely thinking this through, and not entirely wanting to.

Alex would get out.


End file.
